NBA Offseason: SCIC Roundtable – Part 2
Mar 27, 2014; Memphis, TN, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Zach LaVine (14) lays the ball up past Florida Gators forward Casey Prather (24) during the first half in the semifinals of the south regional of the 2014 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship tournament at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
Who is the most overrated rookie from this year’s draft?
Michael Saenz: I hope I’m completely wrong, but it’s Doug McDermott. The only reason why I believe McDermott is the most overrated rookie is simply because I’m not sure he can live up to his No. 11 selection in the draft. Yes, I saw his Summer League performances. I’m still not sold on his quickness and speed. It’s just going to depend on what situation he’s going to be placed into with the Bulls. If he’s given a manageable role, he’ll be fine. However, if he’s asked to take a bigger role with the club (what I’m afraid will happen), that’s when problems can arise.
I’m just not completely sold on McDermott. Love him, not his game.
John Armstrong: Aaron Gordon, the second he was compared to Blake Griffin. Okay, they look like cousins. That’s about it. Seriously speaking though, it’s hard to say. I can only think of a couple of players that were really reaches in this year’s Draft. Most players were picked right around where they should’ve been picked, or lower even. Gordon and my Kings’ own Nik Stauskas were two players I thought were picked a bit high, but it’s hard to call them overrated when, let’s face it, nobody’s really rating them at all. I think Dougie McBuckets might be a bit overrated as far as what’s to be expected of him. I think Doug McDermott will be an excellent pro: He’ll be a great shooter right from the start, he’s got good size to play three positions and a high basketball IQ, plus he’s experienced, having played four college seasons. However, I believe his 20 ppg days are long gone, and it’s really not much of a stretch to say that at all.
The NBA game is much different than college and his role won’t call for volume scoring, at least not with Chicago. What about Dante Exum? The super hype will follow him all the way to Utah and he hasn’t played with the big boys yet. He may be another we could consider overrated, but honestly, I don’t see a standout overrated pick in this draft.
But seriously, stop with the Aaron Gordon – Blake Griffin comparisons. They’re just light skinned. Blake is in a completely different atmosphere.
Morten Jensen: For my money, it’s Zach LaVine. He’s a tremendous athlete, there’s lots of potential, and he’s naturally aggressive which is only going to help him. Having said that, he’s rawer than sushi, his floor game is not NBA ready yet and you have to questions his ability to play in a half-court offense. As a transition player, he could be making waves right off the bat, but running plays and coordinating with veterans 80% of the time? I could see him struggling initially.
George Middleton: It is difficult to choose the most “overrated” rookie, but I would go with Aaron Gordon. Gordon has loads of potential and should be a terrific defender. However, on offensive side of the ball he is kind of a lost cause if it isn’t for garbage buckets and alley-oop dunks. This is not a knock on Gordon because I believe it’s only a matter of time before he scores well, but selecting him ahead of Dante Exum and Noah Vonleh is a bit surprising.
Bryce Olin: I think it’s Zach LeVine. He had moments at UCLA in his freshman season, but he also disappeared for long stretches. Of course, he’s still really young and those are the growing pains younger players go through. He has all the tools you’d want in a young player, but he’s a little overrated right now because of his athleticism and his dunk videos. I hate saying that, but it’s true.
David Ramil: I think Zach LaVine gets this designation, as they hype has been steadily building since the draft. While his athleticism and dunking ability are certainly elite, these skills won’t translate immediately. The same questions that plagued him in college – his strength, shot selection and subpar passing – will affect him in Minnesota.
Once the Wolves unload Kevin Love, Minnesota’s fans (or what’s left of them) will hope that LaVine can provide some immediate excitement. Unfortunately, that’s all he will provide and in limited spurts, at best. This franchise has been clinging to hope for too long and trading their best player is only going to keep them wallowing in mediocrity – LaVine won’t change that.
Brandon Osborne: Nik Stauskas, who the Kings took with the No. 8 overall pick. Stauskas is a great shooter, but what else can he do? If he can develop his game more than he is certainly worth the eighth pick in the draft but if he doesn’t that’s a high pick to spend on just a shooter.